Pediatric Dental Space Maintainers

Space Maintainers for Kids

Space maintainers are used in pediatric dentistry to help prevent abnormal shifting of teeth after early tooth loss or extractions. They can either be attached to only one side (unilateral) or to both sides of the mouth (bilateral), depending on the child’s needs. Space maintainers consist of a ring or band that gets bonded to a back tooth. This band has a bar or wire extending from it that holds the space open until the new adult tooth erupts. The area is monitored and regular check ups and once the new tooth is coming in, we will remove the space maintainer. Our goal in using space maintainers is to avoid creating orthodontic problems in the future.